Hilary Duff reveals that her daughter has colic – and asks her for help on Instagram

It can be extremely painful for parents to see their baby sick or unwell – especially if there is no obvious reason why their child feels so bad. Hilary Duff knows exactly how it feels.

On New Year's Day, Duff posted a photo on Instagram on which Banks's two-month-old daughter found colic and requests from parents for advice.

"Calling all parents of colic babies … that ends right?" "Can you ever drop her off without yelling or waking? We've read everything the internet has to offer … nothing but breastfeeding basically helps every hour or less! We did all the obvious things. Please leave magic tricks in comments.

The commentators responded with suggestions such as diapers, soothing sounds, and dietary changes. But is there anything that can really help?

Colic is a condition characterized by long crying and excitement in a healthy infant and often occurs for no apparent reason.

Of course, excitement and crying are pretty normal behaviors for infants. But excessive or prolonged crying – three or more hours a day, three or more days a week, three or more weeks – is considered colic according to the Mayo Clinic .

There are not too many specific tell-tale symptoms of colic that go beyond weeping and groping – and every baby can show these symptoms to some degree E. Niki Kyvelos, M. D ., A pediatrician at the New York Presbyterian Children's Hospital Komansky and Weill Cornell Medicine, tells SELF. The crying that accompanies colic usually occurs suddenly and occurs in the evening.

Other symptoms may be facial discoloration, such as redness on the face, as well as physical tension. In fact, the crying "may be associated with arching the back, pulling the legs, and stiffening," says Dr. Kyvelos.

It is believed that colic is generally caused by a combination of factors , Kyvelos says, "Clutter and digestive tract are not yet okay, but the exact cause is not well understood." Food allergies, overfeeding, infrequent regurgitation, or an imbalance of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract may make colic more likely Mayo Clinic says, perhaps because they Some uncomfortable gastrointestinal problems for the baby could cause.

Colic usually start when a baby is one month old and may take until it is about three or four months old, Daniel S. Ganjian, MD a board-certified pediatrician at the Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, opposite SEL F.

This is also pretty common: According to a 2015 report American Family Physician ] colic affects between 10 and 40 percent of infants, and Ganjian estimates that up to 60 percent of his patients have experienced this.

Unfortunately, there are no magic remedies for colic, but there are ways to do this to make your baby more comfortable.

Unfortunately, for Duff and all parents whose babies have colic, there is usually no easy fix. Dr. Kyvelos says, however, that certain soothing techniques could be helpful, such as diapers, carrying the baby in a front carry, using a swing, and placing the baby near a background noise source.

"Driving a car or a stroller or a warm bath can also help," she adds. "It may also be helpful to check the feeding technique to make sure that the baby does not over-swig and is not over-fed."

If your child cries for a long time and you can not understand why, or how much crying is affecting you, then it's time to talk to your pediatrician.

"You will not be able to relax when it looks like something is wrong, and to hear that calming matters a lot. You feel more relaxed, and the doctors can give you a better insight into what's going on says Dr. Ganjian.

Although colic does not cause serious medical problems for a child, Dr. Kyvelos says, there are some things to keep An eye for a baby with colic: fever, vomiting, or blood in the stool may be signs of a more serious condition, such as an infection, if one of them appears, it is important to talk to a doctor.

However, it is also important to be aware of your own needs while looking after each baby Pay particular attention to a baby's dealing with colic. "Dr. Ganjian says, make sure that you sleep, eat enough, and usually take care of yourself, Because familial stress or anxiety is another potential risk factor for colic is in babies after the Mayo Clinic.

It can also be helpful to take turns taking care of your baby, or having someone help you to take care of some babysitting duties, if that's an option for you. "If possible, caregivers should take turns knowing that it's okay to put your baby down for a few minutes to take a break," Dr. Kyvelos. "It is very important for parents to realize that taking care of a baby with colic is exhausting and exhausting. If a parent feels they have a hard time or need more help, they should contact their family and friends or their doctor or nurse. "

Dr. Ganjian also says that it is important to remember that colic probably will not disappear in a day or two. Therefore, it is important to try to be patient. "It may take a month or two [to go away,” he says. “If you’re really worried, see your pediatrician, and see them often if need be. Pediatricians love to see babies and their parents, there’s never a question that is too [insignificant] for us."